Oluf
Oluf is a masculine name of Scandinavian origin meaning "ancestor's descendant".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Oluf. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Oluf today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oluf births was 1918 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oluf. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Oluf. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1918
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1918 SSA rank
#4,626
Tracked since 1918
Popularity
Oluf: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Oluf by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Oluf during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Oluf
The name Oluf is a Scandinavian name with roots in Old Norse and ancient Germanic languages. It originated as a compound name formed by combining the elements "anu" meaning "ancestor" and "laf" meaning "descendant" or "heir". The name can be interpreted to mean "heir of ancestors" or "ancestral heir".
In Old Norse, the name was spelled "Ánundr" or "Ánundr". Over time, it evolved into various spellings such as "Olaf", "Olav", "Olave", and the Danish form "Oluf". The name gained widespread popularity in medieval Scandinavia, particularly in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.
One of the earliest and most notable historical figures with the name Oluf was Oluf Hunger (1247-1285), a Danish prince and heir apparent to the throne of Denmark. He was the son of King Eric IV and played a significant role in the political affairs of his time.
Another prominent figure was Oluf Daa (1590-1638), a Norwegian naval officer and admiral who played a crucial role in the Kalmar War between Denmark-Norway and Sweden. He is remembered for his successful naval campaigns and his contributions to the development of the Danish-Norwegian navy.
In the religious sphere, Oluf Torkildsen (c. 1370-1443) was a Danish Catholic priest and scholar who served as the Bishop of Børglum and later as the Archbishop of Nidaros (modern-day Trondheim, Norway). He was a influential figure in the Church and played a significant role in the religious and political affairs of Scandinavia during his time.
In the literary world, Oluf Bang (1788-1877) was a Danish author and poet who wrote extensively in both Danish and Norwegian. His works, including poems, novels, and plays, were widely acclaimed and contributed to the development of Danish and Norwegian literature in the 19th century.
Finally, Oluf Samuelsson (1912-1986) was a Swedish actor and director who had a long and distinguished career in both theater and film. He was particularly renowned for his work in classical theatrical productions and his contributions to the Swedish theater scene.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Oluf, demonstrating its enduring presence and significance across various fields and cultural contexts.
People
Oluf + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oluf as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Oluf: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oluf?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oluf going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Oluf a common name?
We classify Oluf as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Oluf most popular?
The single biggest year for Oluf was 1918, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oluf is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Oluf in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Oluf a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Oluf in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Oluf still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Oluf in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Oluf can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Oluf?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.